Schneiderflecklesuppe
Submitted by JIMMY=HOT
Schneiderflecklesuppe is a German tailor’s square soup featuring handmade pasta squares rolled paper-thin and simmered in rich beef broth. A rustic, soul-warming classic from the old country.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
15 minREADY
2 hrsAbout Schneiderflecklesuppe
Schneiderflecklesuppe, literally “tailor’s patches soup," earns its name from those little hand-cut pasta squares that look like fabric scraps on a tailor’s bench. This Swabian classic turns five pantry staples into something far greater than their sum: a fragrant bowl of homemade pasta squares swimming in deeply savory beef broth.
The magic lives in the pasta. You roll the dough paper thin, drape it over a chair back to dry for nearly two hours, then slice it into rough two-thirds-inch squares. That drying step firms the dough so the squares hold their shape in the boiling water instead of turning into a gummy mess.
Keep dusting the board with flour as you work. Sticky dough equals torn squares, and torn squares equal sad soup. Finish with a shower of fresh chives for that bright, oniony lift against the beefy depth.
Chef Tips
- Let the dough rest covered for 20 minutes before rolling; gluten relaxes and the sheet stretches thinner without tearing.
- Rinse the cooked squares briefly in cold water to stop the cooking and rinse off surface starch, which keeps your broth clear instead of cloudy.
- A homemade roasted beef stock makes this soup sing; boxed broth works but loses the old-world character.
Variations
- Swap beef broth for chicken stock and add shredded chicken for a lighter version.
- Toss in a handful of sauteed mushrooms or caramelized onions for extra depth.
- Stir in a spoonful of sour cream off the heat for a Hungarian spin.
Ingredients
Directions
On a pastry board, combine the flour, egg, water and salt into a pasta dough, then roll it out paper thin.
Hang the dough over the back of a chair or something similar for drying.
After the dough has been drying for 1½ to 2 hours, cut it into ⅔-inch squares.
As you spread out the dough on the board, you will have to keep dusting it with flour.
Bring some lightly salted water to a boil and cook the ‘Fleckle’ for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Drain, briefly rinse in cold water, and then add to the hot meat broth.
Adjust soup’s seasoning, and top with chopped chives.
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